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Overcoming Severe XEDS Peak Overlaps with the AEM

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 March 2018

Scott D. Walck*
Affiliation:
South Bay Technology, Inc., San Clemente, CA 92673

Extract

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Of all the analytical techniques in electron microscopy, X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (XEDS) is perhaps the most useful. It provides a quick identification of the elements and even with semiquantitative methods; a reasonable composition can be obtained. However, in the scanning electron microscopy (SEM), there are materials systems in which severe peak overlaps of heavier elements L and M lines cannot be easily deconvolved with lighter elements' K lines. In addition, without a sufficient overvoltage in the SEM, even identification of the heavier elements can be difficult. In the analytical electron microscope (AEM), there is always sufficient overvoltage to excite all of the elements' K-lines. However, all of the K-lines might not be able to be detected with commercially available instruments. This is illustrated in Fig.l where the maximum energy of the detector system might be set to 10, 20, or 40 keV.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Microscopy Society of America 2006

References

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